Sliding Puzzle
The classic 15-puzzle. Slide tiles into order 1 through 15 with the blank in the bottom-right. Every puzzle generated is guaranteed solvable. Tracks your move count and time so you can try to beat your best.
Slide tiles into order 1–15. Click a tile next to the blank to move it.
How to use
- Click any tile adjacent to the empty space to slide it in.
- Or use arrow keys. The arrow moves the tile into the blank, not the blank itself.
- Get all 15 tiles in order (1–15, blank bottom-right) to win.
- Race against your move count and time. Every shuffle is guaranteed solvable.
Related tools:
The sliding puzzle gives you a 4x4 grid with 15 numbered tiles and one empty space. Slide tiles into the empty space to rearrange them into the correct order from 1 to 15. The only movement allowed is sliding a tile adjacent to the empty space into that space, so you have to plan your moves carefully to shift tiles into position without breaking others you have already placed.
This puzzle dates back to the 1870s and was once as widely known as a Rubik's cube. The 15-puzzle became a craze partly because mathematicians proved that exactly half of all configurations are unsolvable, which caused enormous frustration before people understood why. This digital version only gives you solvable starting states so you will not hit that wall.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is every generated puzzle solvable?
Yes. The game only generates starting positions that have a valid solution. Not all random tile arrangements are solvable, so the generator checks before presenting a puzzle.
What is the best strategy?
Solve the top two rows first, then the left column, leaving a 2x3 section. Work systematically rather than trying to slide everything at once.
Does the game track my move count?
Yes. Your total moves and time are tracked. Try to complete the puzzle in fewer moves than your previous best.
What is the minimum number of moves to solve it?
It depends on the starting configuration. Some puzzles can be solved in under 20 moves, others may require over 100 for a scrambled starting state.